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Picture source: David Easton

The Navigation was situated at 50 Bridgemont.

1835 is the suggested date that the Inn with brewery was built. In 1841 the licence was made out for Mr Thomas Kirk. The Inn is now two cottages, the first one was inhabited by Mr Jackson and the second one was a shop. Mr Jackson was the nephew of Mr Thomas Kirk and he eventually took over the Inn. Note - Mr Jackson widower married Sarah Bower of Manchester 10th March 1866. In the basement Mr Jackson's house was the old beer cellar which had drains leading down to the canal. Outside at the back was the brewery which also housed the stables. Over the entrance to the stables are the initials of Thomas and his wife ie -K T A Mr Jackson has several items which were used in the old Inn, a copper drinking vessel (mug) which is initialled, a tobacco jar, and the wooden jug that would have been taken out to welcome the stagecoach passengers as it entered the village. see photograph. The Inn was ideally placed position wise as regards to the barges on the canal, for as they approached the village the barge would have to travel on a circular route round the village. Where-upon the captain of the barge would leave the barge to the good graces of the horse to carry on pulling the barge round to the other end of the village, as he went to see if their were any passengers or trade waiting for him in the Inn. Consequently what the condition the captain of the barge was in when he arrived back at the barge is any ones guess. It is not known when the Navigation closed although this must have been in the second half of the 18th century. In 2007 Mr Sid Drinkwater drew my attention to a glass pane over the doorway, the paint had disappeared and left a faint trace behind of its message -Thomas Hallam licenced to sell Beer and Porter This was probably a later Landlord.

Janet Lomas (January 2025)

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